POEM ABOUT MICHAEL BROWN AND ERIC GARNER IN HONOR OFTHEIR FAMILIES-POEM FOLLOWS COMMENTARY: Black men are being killed by White men all across the country today. My poem below reflects how I feel about that and more specifically how I feel about these Black men having their characters assassinated after their deaths. Denigrating the character of these men often causes the public to accept an all too familiar narrative that essentially says that THEY have to bear the burden for their OWN demise and no one else is to blame. As people go around spouting that type of post-mortem rhetoric,they rarely think about what these men were actually like or how their lives may have unfolded if they had lived longer. In their graves, these men can no longer so much as take in the beauty of a rising or setting sun. Indeed, THEY CANT BREATHE!!! But people who denigrate them still have their lives to live and they CAN behold a sunrise or sunset... anytime they like. And yet, what do they choose to do instead of being grateful for the life they still have to live? Do they use that sunrise or sunset as an environment in which to judge their OWN character, knowing that they themselves have not lived a perfect life? No. Because its easier to assassinate the character of these Black men-- who are no longer able to defend themselves against ANY of THEIR verbal- and often unprovable- attacks. Deep down inside, they HAVE to know that something is morally WRONG about White men continuing to be exonerated in the deaths of these Black men. But thats a reality they refuse to admit. Slamming the characters of these dead, defenseless Black men allows some people to put off personal and public shame over the senseless killing of so many Black men today. But God is not mocked and HES the ONLY one who can PERMANENTLY absolve anyone from guilt. And all of those who go around gleeful over these exonerations... would do well to remember that. I hope that millions upon millions of people read my poem. I would also LOVE it if any professional artist(s) ever decided to put the words in this poem to music-- thereby drawing even greater attention to the message being conveyed. Here is my poem-written with the families of these slain Black men in mind: SLAIN... AND STILL BEARING YOUR BURDENS AND BLAME YA KNOW......WHAT DOES IT SAY... About anyone Who can still behold each rising sun Yet who feels the man confined in dirt Is a man whose rep you STILL must hurt? Hes laying lifeless-at least for now But in a future time, hell ask you HOW As he lay there-no more to move You could deign to speaking What you could not prove About the man he really was Or about his hopes, his dreams, his loves? For him-no need for doc or nurse And before he lay inside the hearse, You spoke against him words perverse Words that may even earn a curse-Go ahead, check the verse (NRSV, Matthew 7:1-5) Ya see, YOUR plight may be far worse-- Since God knows ALL you do and say And at a future time Hell make you pay. But still, until your Judgment Day Youll carry on the SAME... OLD... WAY: See, before his funeral song was sung You wouldnt restrain YOUR toxic tongue.... Tho no air could fill or lift HIS lungs So he cant speak in his OWN defense Which only leaves his loved ones sad and tense And so... what gain is there on your slander path- When HE cant speak on his own behalf- Except to gain you Gods fierce Wrath?” YA KNOW......WHAT DOES IT SAY... About anyone Who can still behold each rising sun Yet who feels the man confined in dirt Is a man whose rep you STILL must hurt? AND WHY IS IT THAT... Instead of judging your OWN life You spread such lies....and HATE....and STRIFE.....? WELL... When I thought hard, the answer came-- For you, its easier to cast the blame Onto a lifeless Black body... To deflect YOUR shame. *************END OF POEM*********END OF POEM**********HOPE YOU LIKE IT
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 22:08:57 +0000
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